Weekend Recap

 What a wonderful weekend!

 I'm still trying to recover after having to spring forward (i.e., losing some sleep) and running around all weekend. Thankfully I got plenty of Vitamin D and sunshine !

On Saturday morning, I headed to my dear friend Caroline's baby shower. The hosts did an incredible job - the decorations and food felt like a perfect Pinterest board. Caroline is so loved and it showed! That baby of hers sure is lucky! I got to spend time with my favorite lady ever, Meredith. We had the best time catching up and eating cheese blintzes. :)

 The momma-to-be and me. ♥

The baby shower favors included a massive cookie, Belgium chocolates, and a cute candle!

 After the shower, we spent some time in the front yard enjoying the sunshine. Townes kept going to lay on the concrete stairs in the shade since it was so warm - little buddy is not going to be happy come July!

Then we headed to our neighborhood nature preserve to explore (i.e., walk Townes). 

On Saturday evening, my sweet friend, Kim, invited me to a Zumba event celebrating Erick Santana's 10 year anniversary of being a Zumba instructor/ trainer. Erick was actually the instructor who certified me to teach over 2 years ago (see funny picture here). Thankfully it wasn't too cold since the event was outside...the temperature definitely wasn't an issue once we started moving!

Apparently there were over 300 people there - pretty amazing!

If you look right in the middle, you can see Kim and me in red (we didn't plan to match by the way)!

We ended up dancing for 2.5 hours so I was pretty beat (and hungry) by the time the event ended. Such a fun way to spend the night! Thanks Kim!

On Sunday morning, we headed to East Palisades to go hike along the river. I could really get used to this weather - c'mon Spring!

When we got home from hiking, we did some yard work (which hopefully means hammock time this weekend) so prep for the Spring. 

The sweetest pup in the world...

 Perfect, simple flowers from the backyard camellia bushes. 

 We ended the weekend at my in-laws' with a cookout and a movie night...and wine. :)

Hope your weekend was one for the books and that it was spent soaking up sunshine!

xo

Friday Favorites

Woohoo! 

It's Friday and I couldn't be happier (especially after traveling for work all week and having travel delays due to ice and snow).

As Liz Lemon would say: I want to go to there.

 I love this tank top (well, a less-expensive version; I believe I saw some from Urban Outfitters). Makes me dream of summer! 

The cutest dang video of a kitten climbing on the most patient St. Bernard you've ever seen. Must watch until the 1:14 mark at least!

This. Hilarious!

Ringling Circus is going to stop using elephants in 2018. If only they'd stop torturing those poor animals immediately! Heart-breaking.

I just watched Obvious Child while being stuck at the Dallas airport last night. It was sincere and super funny. You can watch it for free with an Amazon Prime membership.

Have a wonderful weekend!
I'm excited to see a dear friend at her baby shower and enjoy a bit of sunshine.
xo 

Thursday Tunes: Air

Although this Air song "Venus" is from 2004, it's still one of my favorites. 

This song (from the album, Talkie Walkie) came on when I was shuffling through my iPod the other day and made me so happy. This French duo from Versailles was one of my favorite bands in college and this song brings back so many memories. 

I'm also a huge fan of this hyper-lapse video of the ocean.

Enjoy!

xo 

Wise Words Wednesday

Amen.

I wish I could say I was immune from judgement (judging others and myself, alike), but I can proudly say that I feel like I've made huge personal leaps in this arena. I should say that I've made more progress in my hesitancy to judge others (more so than self-judgement). Judging others creates such toxic environments. 

The less that I worry about others' lives and their actions, the more peaceful I feel inside. A more altruistic way of life benefits everyone. As I've said before (while quoting the Dalai Lama), we are all seeking happiness and trying to avoid suffering, therefore, we should all be able to empathize with one another at that basic level. This goes for all living things: humans, animals, and even insects.

Despite my personal growth in this area, it's still a nice reminder that there is so much hurt and misunderstanding in the world, so try to use your good energy to restore this balance. We are all fighting hard battles and could all use a little compassion while we try to navigate this crazy thing called life. It's easy to think you know someone else's story, but it's too complicated to ever truly see life through someone else's eyes. I believe we all just have to try our best. Be the change...

I know I always use some lifting up. I hope I can do this for others, too.

What about you? Could you use some kind words or open ears?

If so, I'd be obliged. :)

xo

Weekly Tiny Home: Rustic Timber Home

Although this isn't exactly a "tiny" home coming in around 900 square feet, I love the use of space and log frame. 

This 896 sq. ft. timber cabin was originally built around 1730 in Lebanon, PA. This is the cabin before the renovation:

The cabin was moved to Austin, TX to be renovated. I absolutely love the log + concrete walls! Quite a transformation, isn't it?

This claw-foot tub and stained-glass window combination (along with that field view) looks so serene.

I love the light/ fan fixture and bamboo blinds. Perfect combination with the wooden walls and ceilings.

The outside is pretty magical too! A poolside cabin? I'm sold! 

Check out more about the home here!

"We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without."
 - Immanuel Kant
xo